Ministerial Nominee: President Tinubu Replaces Dr. Shetty, appoints Keyamo

By Iyojo Ameh

President Bola Tinubu, Friday withdrawn the nomination of Kano State ministerial nominee, Dr. Maryam Shetty and replaced her with Dr. Mariya Mahmoud from the same state and equally nominated former Minister of Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo (SAN) from Delta State for appointment as a minister.

The President’s communication on the development was read by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, during plenary.

The latest nomination of Keyamo, has bloated the ministerial list to 48, as against the highest number 42 since the return of democracy in 1999.

The President, however, didn’t give any reason for the replacement of Dr.

He had on Wednesday, through his Chief of Staff and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, sent an additional list of 19 nominees to the Red Chamber.

Recall that on July 27, the President forwarded the first batch of 28 nominees for approval by the Senate.

The nominees from the South-South geo-political zone are Ekperikpe Ekpo from Akwa Ibom State, Senator Heineken Lolokpobri (Bayelsa), Dr. Betta Edu (Cross River), Senator John Enoh (Cross River), Stella Okotete (Delta), Festus Keyamo (Delta), Abubakar Momoh (Edo), and Nyesom Wike from Rivers State.

Those nominated from the South West are Dele Alake representing Ekiti State, Tunji Alausa (Lagos), Lola Ade John (Lagos), Olawale Edun (Ogun), Dr. Ishak Salako (Ogun), Dr. Bosun Tijjani (Ogun), Olubunmi Tunji Ojo (Ondo), Adegboyega Oyetola (Osun) and Waheed Adebayo Adelabu from Oyo State.

The South East nominees are: Uche Nnaji (Enugu), Doris Aniche Uzoka (Imo), David Umahi (Ebonyi), Nkeiruka Onyejocha (Abia) and Uju Kennedy Ohaneye from Anambra State.

The nominees from North East are: Prof. Tahir Mamman (Adamawa), Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (Bauchi), Ali Pate (Bauchi), Abubakar Kyari (Borno), Alkali Ahmed Saidu (Gombe), Sani Abubakar Danladi (Taraba), Uba Maigari Ahmadu (Taraba) and Ibrahim Geidam from Yobe State.

Those from the North-West are: Badaru Abubakar from Jigawa State, Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai (Kaduna), Mariya Mahmoud (Kano), Abdullahi Tijjani Gwarzo (Kano), Ahmed Dangiwa (Katsina), Hannatu Musawa (Katsina), Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu (Kebbi), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Bello Muhammad Goronyo (Sokoto) and Bello Matawalle from Zamfara State.

The North-Central has Joseph Utsev from Benue State, Shuaibu Abubakar Audu (Kogi), Lateef Fagbemi (Kwara), Iman Suleiman Ibrahim (Nasarawa), Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (Niger), Muhammad Idris (Niger), Simon Lalong (Plateau) and

For the first time since Nigeria’s return to democracy, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT will be producing a Minister in the person of Zephaniah Bitrus Jisalo, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).